Darts Year in Review: We look back at the greatest moments from 2014

The past year in darts is likely to be remembered for the rise of ‘Mighty’ Michael van Gerwen as the world’s best player but the final chapter of 2014 is still to be written.

The World Darts Championship, live from Thursday on Sky Sports, is the final hurdle that van Gerwen must cross to cap off a successful year in the same way that he started it.

Last January, the Dutchman set the tone for the next 12 months by becoming the youngest ever World Championship winner at the age of 24, finally fulfilling the prodigious talent that was spotted years before but had threatened to drift away.

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A brutal 6-0 whitewash of Adrian Lewis in the semi-finals was an ominous sign for finalist Peter Wright, who van Gerwen duly dispatched to lift the Sid Waddell trophy.

The victory took him above Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor as the world’s number one ranked player – a position he has maintained and a status that may define 2014.

Van Gerwen’s stock rose with the first ever whitewash of Taylor in the Premier League, thrashing him 7-0 in just 13 minutes, before also taking the Players Championship.

He added the World Cup of Darts with compatriot Raymond van Barneveld, overcoming England’s Taylor and Lewis – but 2014 will also be remembered for van Gerwen’s tears.

He broke down in an emotional state after losing the World Matchplay final to Taylor, the young pretender at the peak  of his powers seemingly left broken by the elder statesman.

But van Gerwen was made of sterner stuff, rebounding with his second major title of the year by beating James Wade for the World Grand Prix.

But 2014 hasn’t just been a celebration of van Gerwen. From the timeless Phil Taylor to the emerging talent Keegan Brown, our Year in Review takes you on the rollercoaster ride of darts this year – and stay tuned afterwards for day one of the World Darts Championship.

Watch Darts: Year in Review on Wednesday at 4pm on Sky Sports 1.